Transitions
New to Beechcraft? Learn what all of the fuss is about, the differences from your last plane, and ways to maximize enjoyment of your new wings.
Bay Area Beechcraft
Your Northern California resource for Beechcraft airplane ownership.
Serving the entire NorCal area and beyond!
New Logbook Check · Upload an aircraft’s logbooks. We read every page and tell you what they say before you buy.
Get the right Beechcraft.
Nobody does a more comprehensive and considered pre-purchase inspection on piston Beechcraft.
Trustworthy
Your seller can rest easy knowing that we have performed inspections, ABS Clinics, and annuals on hundreds of piston Beechcraft. Happy seller, easier sale.
Efficient
Our exclusive 3-stage prebuy checklist orders events by magnitude, not speed. If we can find a dealbreaking problem in 15 minutes, why would you to pay us for the whole day? We find the big and ugly things first, contact you, then proceed to smaller and yet smaller items. Don't waste time or treasure inspecting roaches.
Specialized
We are not a shop with a side hustle. Training and Acquisition of piston Beechcraft is the only thing we do. Let our focus and expertise guide you, without distractions.
Our custom prebuy exceeds the scrutiny of the ABS survey checklist, and has been perfected over literally hundreds of airframes, both great showpieces and misrepresented assemblies of unairworthiness. The complete inspection will take two people an entire day to complete, and is designed to offer our client "early out" to conserve time and expense if the plane is not as expected. The work includes:
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"history and status validation", which includes:
- ABS Survey Group I
- Log and STC review
- Validation of airframe, engine, and equipment times
- Verification of weight/balance, legality, and STC usage rights
- First opportunity to abort the inspection if "deal-breakers" are discovered in these high-dollar systems.
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"functional inspection", which includes:
- ABS Survey Group III
- Balance of airframe inspection
- Test flight, equipment usage survey, flight characteristics evaluation
- Autopilot mode checks
- Navigational equipment checks
- Second opportunity to abort the inspection if "deal-breakers" are discovered in these high-dollar systems.
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"major items" inspection, which includes:
- ABS Survey group II + Engine Scrutiny:
- Engine compression check, borescope, and optional filter cut/contaminants check
- "Common neglect items" inspection, including spar web, flight controls, and undisclosed repair/overspeeds
- Beechcraft gear swing and complete condition inspection
Test flight will require owner's approval, insurance confirmation, and appropriate weather conditions (IFR OK, Ice not) -- I can also accompany and direct the owner as he flies. Flexibility here is paramount, and I try to keep both parties comfortable while ensuring functionality of the aircraft.
Post-inspection, you can look forward to a written report of our findings, complete with key details, times, and photos so that you can act in complete confidence, negotiate down any surprises, and secure the perfect turnkey aircraft!
Prebuy rates
- Beech Aero-Center fixed-gear aircraft (Skipper, Musketeer, Sundowner)
- $1,250
- All Bonanzas (33, 35, 36, including factory TC or aftermarket TN), Sierra
- $1,450
- Beech light twins, including Duchess, Baron (55, 56, 58, including factory TC)
- $1,700
I do not have experience with Beech Queen Air series, and only flight experience with the Twin Bonanza series -- and am therefore not a good candidate for prebuy on these models (Beech 50, 65, 70, 80)
- Optional Oil Filter contaminant check: $150 per engine. C/D/E 55 and 58 with dynafocal engine mounts $225 per engine. Requires owner approval.
- A $150 surcharge will apply if the logbooks are not available for review electronically.
I generally attempt to complete the inspection and inbound/outbound travel in the same day. If there are difficult airline connections or other temporal challenges at play, additional travel days will incur a $975 per day fee plus a $225 per diem for hotel/car/food.
Ready to schedule? Get in touch
Learn to fly your Beechcraft the right way.
The ABS Air Safety Foundation "BPPP" is the long-recognized expert on piston Beechcraft training. We are BPPP accredited and adhere to their instructor standardization and methods.
High Performance/Complex
All but the very first Bonanzas are high-performance, and every Bonanza and Baron will be complex.
Unique Scenarios
Learn and simulate the situations that caught other Beech pilots unawares. Fuel starvation, door pops, emergency window pops, and all manner of scenarios unique to the Beech piston line.
IFR "By the numbers"
Discover the predictable and performant configurations that make flying your Beech the simplest and most reliable part of your instrument flying.
Insurance Checkouts
Ensure you maximize the value of insurance-mandated mentorship, whether it is 5, 10, or 25 hours.
Advanced Engine Management
Use your aircraft's monitoring and technology package to the fullest, be it for LOP, high altitude, or long range flying.
BPPP Instruction is $125/hr
Ready to level up your Beechcraft flying? Get in touch
Ferry and relocation
Relocation Services provided for ALL Beechcraft
Coast to coast, US, Canada, Beyond? Move your aircraft with confidence
The speediest, safest way to teleport your aircraft to her new home.
Ferry/Relocation/Travel flying is $975/day
Per-diem for overnights ($225) and Airfare expenses additional.
I am quite good at logging big hours, long legs, and finding cheap fuel.
Ready to bring that plane home? Get in touch
Example Estimate/Billing for the above missions
A scenario typical of what I do all year, broken into three parts. There are literal thousands of permutations for logistics, prebuys, training, and ferrying aircraft. I generally strive to be cost and time efficient and work within your specific schedule and temporal constraints. I offer this somewhat contrived scenario so that you can see the moving parts and get an idea of what goes into these missions. Reach out anytime and I can tailor something to you!
Part 1A pre-purchase inspection on a Bonanza A36TN
Day 1: Fly from OAK to PHX, Rent a car, be ready to complete prepurchase inspection (appx 1hr flight test, 7 hours mechanical inspection)
- Airline tix OAK-PHX + window seat + checked bag of tools.
- $180
- Travel Day
- $975
- Per Diem for Hotel/Car/Etc
- $225
Day 2: Perform inspection
- A36 Inspection Rate
- $1450
- (Optional: Return to OAK)
- ($180)
- Subtotal
- $2,830
Part 2Deliver the inspected aircraft to Dayton, OH
Days 3, 4: Deliver aircraft to new home
- Flying Day
- $975
- Per Diem for Hotel/Car/Etc
- $225
- Flying Day
- $975
- Per Diem for Hotel/Car/Etc
- $225
- Subtotal
- $2,400
Note for above, an estimated 100LL usage of 8.75h x 17gph x $6 will be collected and any unused amount returned at flight end
A typical target is 6 flight hours per day.
Part 3Train new owner in his aircraft to meet insurance criteria
Days 5, 6, 7: ABS/BPPP BEST Training
- Flying Day
- $975
- Per Diem for Hotel/Car/Etc
- $225
- Flying Day
- $975
- Per Diem for Hotel/Car/Etc
- $225
- Non-Flying Travel Day
- $975
- Airfare returning to OAK CVG-OAK
- $475
- Subtotal
- $3,850
Grand Total, 7 days, one prepurchase inspection, 2 airline flights, 2 days of relocation flying, 2 days of insurance training: $9,080.
Above example is illustrative only, but is a pretty full tour of what I often do for new owners. I am happy to generate ballpark quotes for any combination of the above features, destinations, and aircraft types. Reach out if I can help!
Ready to bring that plane home? Get in touch
Some important Terms & Conditions
Rates are based on my time, not the aircraft's.
Day rates and hourly instruction fees are billed against my clock — not Hobbs time, tach time, or block time. Time spent briefing, debriefing, planning, and in transit on your behalf is working time.
Instruction is billed at $975/day or $125/hr for partial-day engagements.
A full instruction day typically comprises no more than six hours of flight — fatigue and instructional effectiveness are real limits, and I won't push past them. Ground briefings and debriefs directly associated with a flight are included. Extended ground-only sessions are billed at the hourly rate.
Travel is billed at the lowest available coach window seat fare for the most direct routing to your location, regardless of actual travel method.
I travel by whatever means best serves the schedule — including general aviation when appropriate — and retain full discretion over mode of travel. You will never be billed more than that baseline fare, and I routinely absorb costs when my preferred routing or class exceeds it.
I travel globally.
Distance is not a disqualifier — reach out regardless of location.
Ferry and relocation fuel is collected in advance as an estimated burn, calculated against a regional 100LL average rather than any single airport price, which can be highly variable.
I actively seek efficient fuel costs en route. Any unused balance is reconciled and returned upon delivery. There are no markups on fuel.
Pre-purchase inspection billing on early exit.
My checklist is designed to surface deal-breakers first. If we abort at any stage before completion, you are billed for actual time on-site plus travel — not the full inspection rate. Time is always billable; the flat inspection fee applies only upon completion of all stages.
Inspection findings are communicated immediately.
I understand that an aircraft deal is often waiting on my findings — there is no acceptable delay. Significant squawks are reported verbally as discovered. A summary email goes out at the end of the inspection day. The formal written report — combining all findings, relevant photos, and a clear aircraft status summary — follows within a few days and is designed to support confident, informed ownership from day one.
Insurance.
Any engagement in which I act as required crew — including solo prebuy test flights and all flight instruction — requires that I meet at minimum the Open Pilot Warranty provisions of the aircraft's hull and liability policy. I will require a copy of the policy declarations page prior to the engagement to confirm -- insurance can have small nuances. Please coordinate with the aircraft insurer in advance.
Payment is collected in full prior to scheduling or travel booking.
This holds your date and authorizes incurred costs on your behalf. Cancellations are accepted at any time before I begin travel, less any costs already incurred such as airfare or hotel. Once travel has begun, the travel day rate and per-diem are due in full regardless of outcome.
Quoted rates reflect costs at time of quoting.
Airfare in particular can shift between quote and payment. If significant time has passed since your quote was issued, request a current estimate before submitting payment.
Per-diem is flat-rated, covering hotel, ground transportation, and meals.
The current rate is published in the example billing section above. No receipts, no surprises.
Ballpark quotes are always free and fast.
Email, text, or call anytime — I'm happy to work through the logistics and give you a realistic number before you commit to anything.
Payment is accepted via Zelle or Venmo.
Other arrangements available upon request.
Let's go flying!
Mike Brannigan
BPPP-Certified CFI, CFII, MEI
Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic, Inspection Authorization